James I. Moss

CACNA1C gene polymorphisms, cardiovascular disease outcomes and treatment response

Background—The gene encoding the target of calcium channel blockers, the &agr;1c-subunit of the L-type calcium channel (CACNA1C), has not been well characterized, and only small pharmacogenetic studies testing this gene have been published to date. Methods and Results—Resequencing of CACNA1C was performed followed by a nested case-control study of the INternational VErapamil SR/trandolapril STudy (INVEST) GENEtic Substudy (INVEST-GENES). Of 46 polymorphisms identified, 8 were assessed in the INVEST-GENES. Rs1051375 was found to have a significant interaction with treatment strategy (P=0.0001). Rs1051375 A/A genotype was associated with a 46% reduction in the primary outcome among those randomized to verapamil SR treatment, when compared with atenolol treatment (odds ratio 0.54 95% CI 0.32 to 0.92). In heterozygous A/G individuals, there was no difference in the occurrence of the primary outcome when randomized to verapamil SR versus atenolol treatment (odds ratio 1.47 95% CI 0.86 to 2.53), whereas homozygous G/G individuals had a greater than 4-fold increased risk of the primary outcome with verapamil treatment compared with those randomized to atenolol treatment (odds ratio 4.59 95% CI 1.67 to 12.67). We did not identify allelic expression imbalance or differences in mRNA expression in heart tissue by rs1051375 genotype. Conclusions—Variation in CACNA1C is associated with treatment response among hypertensive patients with stable coronary artery disease. Our data suggest a genetically defined group of patients that benefit most from calcium channel blocker therapy, a group that benefits most from &bgr;-blocker therapy, and a third group in which calcium channel blocker and &bgr;-blocker therapy are equivalent.

The SLICK hair locus derived from Senepol cattle confers thermotolerance to intensively managed lactating Holstein cows

The SLICK haplotype (http://omia.angis.org.au/OMIA001372/9913/) in cattle confers animals with a short and sleek hair coat. Originally identified in Senepol cattle, the gene has been introduced into Holsteins. The objectives of the current study were to determine (1) whether lactating Holsteins with the slick hair phenotype have superior ability for thermoregulation compared with wild-type cows or relatives not inheriting the SLICK haplotype, and (2) whether seasonal depression in milk yield would be reduced in SLICK cows. In experiment 1, diurnal variation in vaginal temperature in the summer was monitored for cows housed in a freestall barn with fans and sprinklers. Vaginal temperatures were lower in slick-haired cows than in relatives and wild-type cows. In experiment 2, acute responses to heat stress were monitored after cows were moved to a dry lot in which the only heat abatement was shade cloth. The increases in rectal temperature and respiration rate caused by heat stress during the day were lower for slick cows than for relatives or wild-type cows. Moreover, sweating rate was higher for slick cows than for cows of the other 2 types. In experiment 3, effects of season of calving (summer vs. winter) on milk yield and composition were determined. Compared with milk yield of cows calving in winter, milk yield during the first 90 d in milk was lower for cows calving in the summer. However, this reduction was less pronounced for slick cows than for wild-type cows. In conclusion, Holsteins with slick hair have superior thermoregulatory ability compared with non-slick animals and experience a less drastic depression in milk yield during the summer.

Genetic Variation in the β2 Subunit of the Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel and Pharmacogenetic Association With Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in the INternational VErapamil SR-Trandolapril STudy GENEtic Substudy (INVEST-GENES)

Background—Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the regulatory &bgr;2 subunit of the voltage-gated calcium channel (CACNB2) may contribute to variable treatment response to antihypertensive drugs and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Methods and Results—SNPs in CACNB2 from 60 ethnically diverse individuals were identified and characterized. Three common SNPs (rs2357928, rs7069292, and rs61839258) and a genome-wide association study-identified intronic SNP (rs11014166) were genotyped for a clinical association study in 5598 hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease randomized to a &bgr;-blocker (BB) or a calcium channel blocker (CCB) treatment strategy in the INternational VErapamil SR-Trandolapril STudy GENEtic Substudy (INVEST-GENES). Reporter gene assays were conducted on the promoter SNP, showing association with clinical outcomes. Twenty-one novel SNPs were identified. A promoter A>G SNP (rs2357928) was found to have significant interaction with treatment strategy for adverse cardiovascular outcomes (P for interaction, 0.002). In whites, rs2357928 GG patients randomized to CCB were more likely to experience an adverse outcome than those randomized to BB treatment strategy, with adjusted hazard ratio (HR) (CCB versus BB) of 2.35 (95% CI, 1.19 to 4.66; P=0.014). There was no evidence for such treatment difference in AG (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.75 to 1.79; P=0.69) and AA (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.36 to 1.11; P=0.11) patients. This finding was consistent in Hispanics and blacks. CACNB2 rs11014166 showed similar pharmacogenetic effect in Hispanics, but not in whites or blacks. Reporter assay analysis of rs2357928 showed a significant increase in promoter activity for the G allele compared to the A allele. Conclusions—These data suggest that genetic variation within CACNB2 may influence treatment-related outcomes in high-risk patients with hypertension. Clinical Trial Registration—URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00133692.

Oral Toxicity of a Boric Acid - Sucrose Water Bait to Florida Carpenter Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The oral toxicity of boric acid to the Florida carpenter ant, Camponotus abdominalis floridanus (Buckley), was evaluated in laboratory tests. The ants were provided a sucrose water-based bait containing various concentrations of boric acid. Over the dosage range from 0.02 M (0.13% w/v) to 0.50 M (3.13% w/v) boric acid, median lethal times (LT50s) (95% CL) ranged from 9.7 (8.1–13.3) days to 1.5 (1.2–1.7) days. Over the same dosage range (0.02 M to 0.50 M), LT90s (95% CL) ranged from 27.1 (18.0–59.5) days to 4.2 (3.6–5.1) days. Some of the advantages of using boric acid as a bait toxicant for ants include its delayed activity and its solubility in water.

Regulation of Pluripotency of Inner Cell Mass and Growth and Differentiation of Trophectoderm of the Bovine Embryo by Colony Stimulating Factor 2

ABSTRACT Colony-stimulating factor 2 (CSF2) enhances competence of the bovine embryo to establish and maintain pregnancy after the embryo is transferred into a recipient. Mechanisms involved could include regulation of lineage commitment, growth, or differentiation of the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE). Experiments were conducted to evaluate regulation by CSF2 of pluripotency of the ICM and differentiation and growth of the TE. Embryos were cultured with 10 ng/ml recombinant bovine CSF2 or a vehicle control from Days 5 to 7 or 6 to 8 postinsemination. CSF2 increased the number of putative zygotes that developed to blastocysts when the percent of embryos becoming blastocysts in the control group was low but decreased blastocyst yield when blastocyst development in controls was high. ICM isolated from blastocysts by lysing the trophectoderm using antibody and complement via immunosurgery were more likely to survive passage when cultured on mitomycin C-treated fetal fibroblasts if derived from blastocysts treated with CSF2 than if from control blastocysts. There was little effect of CSF2 on characteristics of TE outgrowths from blastocysts. The exception was a decrease in outgrowth size for embryos treated with CSF2 from Days 5 to 7 and an increase in expression of CDX2 when treatment was from Days 6 to 8. Expression of the receptor subunit gene CSF2RA increased from the zygote stage to the 9–16 cell stage before decreasing to the blastocyst stage. In contrast, CSF2RB was undetectable at all stages. In conclusion, CSF2 improves competence of the ICM to survive in a pluripotent state and alters TE outgrowths. Actions of CSF2 occur through a signaling pathway that is likely to be independent of CSF2RB.

Angelman syndrome imprinting center encodes a transcriptional promoter

Clusters of imprinted genes are often controlled by an imprinting center that is necessary for allele-specific gene expression and to reprogram parent-of-origin information between generations. An imprinted domain at 15q11–q13 is responsible for both Angelman syndrome (AS) and Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS), two clinically distinct neurodevelopmental disorders. Angelman syndrome arises from the lack of maternal contribution from the locus, whereas Prader–Willi syndrome results from the absence of paternally expressed genes. In some rare cases of PWS and AS, small deletions may lead to incorrect parent-of-origin allele identity. DNA sequences common to these deletions define a bipartite imprinting center for the AS–PWS locus. The PWS–smallest region of deletion overlap (SRO) element of the imprinting center activates expression of genes from the paternal allele. The AS–SRO element generates maternal allele identity by epigenetically inactivating the PWS–SRO in oocytes so that paternal genes are silenced on the future maternal allele. Here we have investigated functional activities of the AS–SRO, the element necessary for maternal allele identity. We find that, in humans, the AS–SRO is an oocyte-specific promoter that generates transcripts that transit the PWS–SRO. Similar upstream promoters were detected in bovine oocytes. This result is consistent with a model in which imprinting centers become DNA methylated and acquire maternal allele identity in oocytes in response to transiting transcription.

Identification of Beef Heifers with Superior Uterine Capacity for Pregnancy.

ABSTRACT Infertility and subfertility represent major problems in domestic animals and humans, and the majority of embryonic loss occurs during the first month of gestation that involves pregnancy recognition and conceptus implantation. The critical genes and physiological pathways in the endometrium that mediate pregnancy establishment and success are not well understood. In study one, predominantly Angus heifers were classified based on fertility using serial embryo transfer to select animals with intrinsic differences in pregnancy loss. In each of the four rounds, a single in vitro-produced, high-quality embryo was transferred into heifers on Day 7 postestrus and pregnancy was determined on Days 28 and 42 by ultrasound and then terminated. Heifers were classified based on pregnancy success as high fertile (HF), subfertile (SF), or infertile (IF). In study two, fertility-classified heifers were resynchronized and bred with semen from a single high-fertility bull. Blood samples were collected every other day from Days 0 to 36 postmating. Pregnancy rate was determined on Day 28 by ultrasound and was higher in HF (70.4%) than in heifers with low fertility (36.8%; SF and IF). Progesterone concentrations in serum during the first 20 days postestrus were not different in nonpregnant heifers and also not different in pregnant heifers among fertility groups. In study three, a single in vivo-produced embryo was transferred into fertility-classified heifers on Day 7 postestrus. The uteri were flushed on Day 14 to recover embryos, and endometrial biopsies were obtained from the ipsilateral uterine horn. Embryo recovery rate and conceptus length and area were not different among the heifer groups. RNA was sequenced from the Day 14 endometrial biopsies of pregnant HF, SF, and IF heifers (n = 5 per group) and analyzed by edgeR-robust analysis. There were 26 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the HF compared to SF endometrium, 12 DEGs for SF compared to IF endometrium, and three DEGs between the HF and IF endometrium. Several of the DEG-encoded proteins are involved in immune responses and are expressed in B cells. Results indicate that preimplantation conceptus survival and growth to Day 14 is not compromised in SF and IF heifers. Thus, the observed difference in capacity for pregnancy success in these fertility-classified heifers is manifest between Days 14 and 28 when pregnancy recognition signaling and conceptus elongation and implantation must occur for the establishment of pregnancy.

A pharmacological study of the hyperneural muscle of Periplaneta americana

Abstract Contractions of the hyperneural muscle of Periplaneta americana L., in response to various neurochemicals, were studied. Proctolin and glutamate were found to cause contractions, in a dosedependent manner. Octopamine, in the range of 1 μM to 1 mM suppressed chemically induced and neurally evoked contractions in a dose-dependent manner. Octopamine also reduced the basal tension of the muscle. Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), in the range of 100 μM to 1 mM also suppressed the neurally evoked hyperneural muscle contractions in a dose-dependent manner. GABA also reduced the basal tension of the muscle. Micromolar avermectin Bla abolished neurally evoked contractions. Although it is not known whether the neurochemicals have a physiological role in the hyperneural muscle function, it appears that the regulation of the muscle is not simple.

WNT regulation of embryonic development likely involves pathways independent of nuclear CTNNB1

The bovine was used to examine the potential for WNT signaling to affect the preimplantation embryo. Expression of seven key genes involved in canonical WNT signaling declined to a nadir at the morula or blastocyst stage. Expression of 80 genes associated with WNT signaling in the morula and inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) of the blastocyst was also evaluated. Many genes associated with WNT signaling were characterized by low transcript abundance. Seven genes were different between ICM and TE, and all of them were overexpressed in TE as compared to ICM, including WNT6, FZD1, FZD7, LRP6, PORCN, APC and SFRP1 Immunoreactive CTNNB1 was localized primarily to the plasma membrane at all stages examined from the 2-cell to blastocyst stages of development. Strikingly, neither CTNNB1 nor non-phospho (i.e., active) CTNNB1 was observed in the nucleus of blastomeres at any stage of development even after the addition of WNT activators to culture. In contrast, CTNNB1 associated with the plasma membrane was increased by activators of WNT signaling. The planar cell polarity pathway (PCP) could be activated in the embryo as indicated by an experiment demonstrating an increase in phospho-JNK in the nucleus of blastocysts treated with the non-canonical WNT11. Furthermore, WNT11 improved development to the blastocyst stage. In conclusion, canonical WNT signaling is attenuated in the preimplantation bovine embryo but WNT can activate the PCP component JNK. Thus, regulation of embryonic development by WNT is likely to involve activation of pathways independent of nuclear actions of CTNNB1.

Gulf War illnesses are autoimmune illnesses caused by increased activity of the p38/MAPK pathway in CD4+ immune system cells, which was caused by nerve agent prophylaxis and adrenergic load☆

Sodium chloride intake might increase the risk for the development of autoimmune diseases by increasing the activity of the p38/MAPK pathway in CD4+ cells thereby producing pathogenic TH17 cells which are inflammatory. Two factors (muscarinic and beta adrenergic stimulation), already shown to potentiate each others toxic effects in whole mice, and have combined amplified sub lethal effects on mouse T cells, can have the same effect on CD4+ signaling pathways as sodium chloride. Sick 1991 Gulf War veterans express elevated Th17 cytokine activity, and therefore may have autoimmune illnesses caused directly by the above mentioned exposures.